The scent of jasmine in the air. Twinkling fairy lights casting a soft glow over a sea of smiling faces. The clink of glasses, the swirl of silk sarees, the music, the laughter — weddings in India are a grand celebration of love and togetherness.

Every detail is crafted with care: vibrant flowers woven into garlands, ornate decor filling every corner, sumptuous food served in endless abundance.

But when the last song fades and the guests head home, what’s left behind tells a different story.

Mounds of waste — half-eaten food, discarded plastic bottles, wilting flowers swept into black bags. Memories made for a day, but consequences that linger far longer.

It is estimated that Indian weddings generate up to 500 kilograms of waste per event, with each guest contributing around 1 kilogram on average. Multiply this by the thousands of weddings that happen daily, and the environmental cost becomes staggering. In fact, studies suggest that the Indian wedding industry, valued at over Rs 3.7 lakh crore, contributes significantly to single-use plastic and food waste, with nearly 40% of wedding food reportedly wasted.

But what if a wedding could be both beautiful and kind to the planet?

A celebration for the planet, not just the people

That’s exactly what 32-year-old Uma Ram, a digital marketing freelancer from Chennai, set out to do. Known online as @proud_brown_girl, Uma recently tied the knot — but she was determined that her celebration wouldn’t come at the planet’s cost.

“Being sustainable on a big day was something I always wanted. Growing up, I have always been cautious about the environment and my surroundings,” Uma shares. “Earlier, when I attended weddings, I would always notice the amount of water and food that got wasted — and it’s huge.”

Still, knowing what you want and knowing how to get there are two different things. Uma had the intention, but not the roadmap.

Like many brides, she began with a simple scroll through Instagram for ideas. That’s when she stumbled upon Connect to Bhoomi — a Chennai-based sustainability initiative helping people plan eco-conscious events.

Curious and hopeful, Uma reached out.

“I contacted the team, and we started working together. We had a few brainstorming sessions about how we could manage water, food, and decor — all the things that usually go to waste in large amounts at weddings.”

For two months leading up to the wedding, Uma and the Connect to Bhoomi team mapped out every detail with care and creativity. Plans were drawn, refined, and redrawn. As is often the case with big dreams, the final blueprint only came together two days before the wedding — a reminder that even the best intentions require flexibility and faith.

And when the day finally arrived, here’s what they achieved.

What........

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